I want to think that analogies may help people understand who truly don’t. This is my simple analogy for anyone who keeps wondering “why in the heck are these people protesting?” This is only my opinion, and it is very simplified, and it does not represent everyone who protested…. This is only my opinion–maybe even an alternative fact…

I think of all the strong women descendants of Luella Biler who have made an impact on me when I write many of the things I do. I see their faces as I type. They give me strength, and it is a proud strength. They are my family, and I love them.

So…My analogy…

The classmate who has been known for being a bully (maybe he’s changed, maybe he says he doesn’t even bully anymore, maybe bullied only in the locker room) gets elected to class president. He is inaugurated.

The next day, those who have been bullied by him are maybe joined by others across the land–maybe even the world–who have experienced being bullied, and they rally together, just to remind everyone, especially the newly-elected class President, that they will not put up with bullying anymore. They have been united because of something they have experienced together. They believe that the experiences they share are important on a human level, and want to try to do what they can so that they, and future generations, may be able to live without being bullied. They have that fundamental human right to do so.

And let’s say that for most of the last 100 years, those who have been bullied have not always been protected under the law (maybe the first law to try to protect them was enacted in 1920).

Maybe there are some who were never bullied, so maybe they don’t understand it on the level of those who have been bullied. But to just dismiss it as nothing important is just not very insightful, or empathetic, yet we have grown up in a society that says we should be empathetic and insightful.

But I digress…

They rally because it gives a voice. It makes sure we move forward, not backwards…It lets those who have bullied, or who currently bully, or who are inclined to bully, know that bullying is understood and that it will no longer be tolerated. It lets those who endure bullying know that they are not alone.

They know that it is quite possible that bullying will never be completely eradicated, but at least they rally together to ensure it is not forgotten. They keep in in the light. Awareness.

Maybe some of those who have never experienced bullying first hand know someone who has, and they stand proudly beside them.

Please don’t dismiss them. You know someone who has been bullied, so don’t act like you don’t. And if you have been bullied, don’t act like you haven’t been.

The opinion of an individual blogger does not necessarily reflect that of all members of The Loveshade Family. Kristofer James has worked in the entertainment industry including work for Inland Stage and as a director in the MSJC theatre department. The original Ĕk-sĕn-trĭks Cluborguild, which created the Order of the Pineapple and led to the creation of the Discordian Division of the Ek-sen-triks CluborGuild, began at MSJC. The most recent honorees of The Order are named Here.

“Don’t bully…be a friend” image is from http://newsroom.scoutlete.com/bully-no-more-how-to-stop-bullying

The Order of the Pineapple (aka The DisOrder of the Pineapple) honors those who contribute to discord and ek-sen-trik tendencies above and beyond the call of duty. It was first given in 1982 and is given each year on January 18 which is Pat Pineapple Day. Last year’s winners were Miley Spears and Rev. DrJon Swabey (who cited the St. Groucho Principle). To see a list of all winners, visit op.loveshade.org.

Remember to eat something having to with pineapple on January 18! Unless of course you don’t.

His Wholiness the Rev. DrJon (aka Rev. DrJon Swabey): He compiled what is probably the 21st century’s first Discordian tome Apocrypha Discordia which included both new and old-but-previously-unknown Discordian material. DrJon retrieved an early version (thought at the time to be the first) of Principia Discordia, and wrote an outroduction for the first hardback edition since 1976 for Principia Discordia.

The Order, sometimes called the DisOrder of the Pineapple, began in 1982 and is awarded on 18 January. It was begun by the Ek-sen-triks Cluborguild and honors those who have given extraordinary service in “the participatorial study of comedic attitudes and eccentric tendencies.”

Last year’s winners were Adam Gorightly and S. John Ross (Pope Leo), and other winners this decade were Alan Moore, Dr. Demento, Professor Cramulus, Professor Mu-Chao, R. Crumb, and Sondra London. So far no one’s turned down the award — without quoting Groucho Marx.

Congratulations to the new winners! Remember to eat something having to with pineapple on January 18!

The latest challenge to the book’s legality comes not from a small town Texas police department. It doesn’t come from a big city Texas police department either, and it’s not from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This time, it’s an entirely new group that’s making the challenge: Discordians.

“Discordians?” Yes. “Plagiarism” has now been added to the list of charges against the book. But the charges are vague.

“This book contains work that was plagiarized….”

“This book contains works penned by several of my personal friends….’

“You can read a lot of this free on the internet. That’s where Loveshade got it. Without permission.”

Interestingly, none of them mention any actual names of pieces or people. Also interesting, none of them have “Amazon Verified Purchase” under their names, meaning they might–or might not–have seen the book.

Now if only this tempest in a teapot would explode to the point the general public would see it. That would be something.

S. John Ross (Pope Leo). The mind behind Novus Ordo Discordia, the Gospel of St. Pesher the Gardener, author of Steve Jackson Games’ Warehouse 23, creator of Risus and fonts used by Discordians, and “foreplayer” (foreword writer) for Ek-sen-trik-kuh Discordia: The Tales of Shamlicht. Patriarch Wilhelm Leonardo Pesher-Principle was a major contributor to Apocrypha Discordia, likely the first (and often considered one of the best) Discordian work of the 21st century.

The Order of the Pineapple (aka The DisOrder of the Pineapple) honors those who contribute to discord and ek-sen-trik tendencies above and beyond the call of duty. It was first given in 1982 and is given each year on January 18 which is Pat Pineapple Day. Last year’s winners were Doctor Demento and R. Crumb. To see a list of all winners, visit op.loveshade.org.

Congratulations to the new winners! Remember to eat something having to with pineapple on January 18!